Nikki's Banana Bread Cookies❤⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cookies without any add-ins. 

Cookies made with blueberries and glaze. 

Nikki's Banana Bread Cookies 

Soft, gluten-free banana-bread comfort—now in cookie form.

I am known for my streusel-topped banana bread. I make it for friends, family, holidays — pretty much a crowd favorite.

When I began eating mostly gluten-free and sugar-free-ish, I wanted that same cozy banana-bread energy in a healthy treat that worked better for the way I eat now. After many, many variations, I finally nailed it.

Daughter approved. Mama Bear happy.

These cookies are soft, moist, and unapologetically banana-bread-like — not crisp little hockey pucks pretending to be dessert. Give me a cup of coffee and two of these, and I am sitting pretty.

Then I saw someone make a glaze from protein powder and almond milk. Excuse me — whaaaaaat?

Naturally, I had to try it immediately. On these. It works.

Blueberries make them even better, cinnamon in the glaze is a very good decision, and diced apples are waiting in the wings for anyone feeling adventurous.

Banana bread cookies made with glaze, blueberries and peaches. 

Makes 18 cookies

About 18 standard cookies — or roughly 11 Nikki-sized cookies, because making them larger saves me a return trip to the kitchen. Efficiency.

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups fine almond flour
• 1/2 cup certified gluten free oats
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional makes them fluffier and adds protein)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger or pumpkin pie spice 
• 2 teaspoons ground flax seeds (optional)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup, honey, or monk fruit sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup mashed banana

Optional Add-ins:

• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips (sugar-free, if preferred)
• ½ cup frozen blueberries
• ½ cup finely diced red apple

Optional Protein Glaze:

• 2 tablespoons vanilla protein powder
• 1–2 teaspoons unsweetened almond milk or water
• Dash of cinnamon (optional, but highly encouraged)

Instructions: 

1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat it very lightly with nonstick spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, oats, protein powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger or pumpkin pie spice, and ground flax seed, if using.
3. In a separate bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the egg, sweetener, vanilla, and mashed banana.
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined.
5. Fold in any chosen walnuts, chocolate chips, or diced apple. If using frozen blueberries, save them for the tops so the dough does not turn purple — unless purple cookies are the goal. No judgment.
6. Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet in approximately 2-tablespoon portions. If using blueberries, press 3–5 gently into the top of each cookie.
7. Bake for 16–20 minutes, until the cookies are lightly puffed, set, and golden at the edges. Begin checking at 16 minutes; larger cookies may need the full 20.
8. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with any remaining dough.
9. For the glaze, stir the protein powder with 1 teaspoon almond milk or water. Add more liquid a few drops at a time until it reaches drizzling consistency. Add cinnamon if desired, then drizzle over fully cooled cookies.
   

Notes:

• For celiac-safe cookies, use certified gluten-free oats and verify that the protein powder, baking spray, chocolate chips, and all other packaged ingredients are certified gluten-free or prepared to your required cross-contact standard.
• If oats feel like too much fiber for you, leave them out. The cookies will be softer but still delicious.
• Frozen blueberries tend to bleed less than fresh berries when pressed into the tops. If a purple-blue cookie sounds delightful, mix them directly into the batter and live your truth.
• These are intentionally soft and moist, like banana bread. Let them cool fully before stacking.

Storage:

• Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Because they are deliciously moist, separate the layers with parchment paper so they do not merge into one enormous banana cookie — tempting, but inconvenient.

• To freeze, place parchment between the cookies and store them in a freezer-safe container. Take out one or two at a time; they thaw quickly. If patience is not currently available, microwave one for 10–12 seconds.
  

Macros:

• Per 1 of 18 cookies: approximately 84 calories | 7 g carbohydrate | 2 g fiber | 4 g protein | 5 g fat

• Source: Nikki M. Beineke

Homemade Chili Oil

 

Homemade Chili Oil 

Chili oil is normally made from vegetable oil that has been infused with chili peppers of choice. You can use any type of chili pepper, from mild to superhot peppers. Other ingredients are sometimes included.

I DO NOT use vegetable oil. Or Canola oil. Not even sure why they call it vegetable oil when there there isn't a trace of vegetables in it other than probably the label on the bottle. These are highly processed oils that might as well run your car. Please do your body a favor and get rid of these oils in your pantry. 

Either use pure avocado oil or olive oil. It is preferred that a neutral oil is selected for highlighting the chili pepper flavor. So I would use avocado oil but I have used olive oil and it is still amazing. Refined coconut oil can be used, but it is processed to remove the coconut aroma and taste. I actually use unrefined coconut oil all of the time because I like the taste of it in recipes and baking. 

Servings: 30 servings - makes 1 cup

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup oil (or any neutral oil such as avocado, if you want to use canola or vegetable, but you know my thoughts on that 😏
• 3 tablespoons chili flakes or crushed dried chili peppers
• Dash of salt if desired

Optional Extras

• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon white pepper

Instructions: 

• Add the chili flakes and your additional spices to a heat proof bowl. Mix well.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a small pot. Do not allow the oil to smoke. If it smokes, remove it from the heat to reduce the temperature. (**)
• Pour the hot oil carefully over the chili flakes. It will sizzle up nicely. Mix well. Cool and strain if desired.
• Transfer to a glass container. Use immediately. Lasts 3 months or longer in the refrigerator.

Storage:

• Homemade chili oil can last for 2-3 months when stored in an airtight container in a cool dark place at room temperature, and even longer in the refrigerator, though shelf life can vary depending on ingredients used.

Notes:

• Oil Temperature. Heat your oil to 180 degrees F minimum, or to 350 degrees F maximum for a darker oil. Do not let your oil smoke or get any hotter, or it can burn your chili flakes and spices, resulting in a bitter flavor.
• If you do not have a temperature gauge, you can test it by adding a tiny pinch of chili flakes to the hot oil. It is ready when the flakes sizzle.
• Variations. There are many ways to vary up your spices to make different types and flavors of chili oil. Possibilities include black pepper, garlic, salt or msg, cayenne, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, Chinese vinegar or black vinegar, so much more. You can also use any type of chili flakes or crushed dried chilies.

Macros:

• Calories:  69cal | Net Carbs: 1g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 1g 

Source: chilipeppermadness.com

Chili-Garlic Sauce

 

Chili-Garlic Sauce 

This homemade chili-garlic sauce recipe is much like Huy Fong chili garlic sauce, but freshly made, no preservatives, super easy to make and so versatile.

Walking through your typical grocery store, most likely you aren't going to find many chili-garlic sauces available to you. You'll probably find "Huy Fong" chili garlic sauce in the Asian aisle, maybe one other competing brand, but that's about it.

Unless you're in a specialty store, your choices are fairly limited, and specialty stores are few and far between unless you're living within a fair sized city.

The recipe is simple. It uses only 4 main ingredients, aside from salt and pepper - chili peppers, garlic, sugar and vinegar. And, it's ready in well under 30 minutes!

Chili-Garlic Sauce is something I use regularly. Unlike Sriracha, it is a freshly made sauce, unfermented, and is meant more for cooking rather than a condiment, though it can be used for both purposes.

Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients: 

• 4 ounces spicy chili peppers – This works for any pepper of choosing. I used a bunch of Fresno peppers. Use a variety.
• 4 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: 

• Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into a small pot and heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Cool and adjust the flavor with salt and pepper to your tastes.
• Store in a sealable jar in the refrigerator.

Storage:

• Chili-garlic sauce will last 1-2 months or longer in the refrigerator in a sealed container. The vinegar acts as a preservative, which will let it keep longer.
• You can also freeze it for up to 6 months. It freezes nicely. Simply thaw and use as needed.

Notes:

• Makes about 1 cup. Thin with a bit of water, if desired.
• Heat Factor: HOT, though it will depend on the peppers used.

Macros:

• Calories:  11 cal | Net Carbs: 2g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g 

Source: chilipeppermadness.com

Kung Pao Sau

 

Kung Pao Sauce

You can use this Kung pao sauce recipe in any recipe that calls for stir fry sauce for more of a Chinese flair.

It's ideal for a quick and easy Kung Pao Chicken recipe, as well as Kung Pao shrimp, chicken fried rice, ramen noodles, and other stir fries.

You can also use it as a simple marinade for chicken, shrimp, pork, beef, or vegetables, then either grill or stir them for perfect flavor.

Servings: 4

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil or use peanut oil
• 6-8 dried hot chilies use Chinese hot chilies, or use dried chile de arbol, japones, or similar available to you – use MORE as desired for a HOTTER version
• 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns coarsely ground
• 1 tablespoon minced leek or use scallions or white onion
• 1 knob ginger peeled and minced (1 inch knob)
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar or use balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey or use brown sugar or sugar substitute
• 1 cup chicken broth or use vegetable broth
• Optional:  1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water to form a slurry, for thickening, if desired

Instructions: 

• Heat the oil in a wok or large pan to medium heat and add the dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorn. Stir fry for 1 minute, or until the chilies darken a bit.
• Add the leek, ginger and garlic. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes to lightly brown. The mixture will become aromatic.
• Stir in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, black vinegar, honey, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors develop.
• Stir in the cornstarch slurry and heat until it thickens.
• Use as desired in any of your “Kung Pao” recipes. Toss with stir fried chicken, shrimp, vegetables or other combination.
• To use later, cool slightly, then transfer to a container, seal, and refrigerate. Will last 1 week this way.

Storage:

• This recipe will last 1 week or longer in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Simply spoon 1/4 cup per serving or so into your hot wok or pan of cooked vegetables, meats, noodles, or rice, then toss to heat through.
• You can also freeze it for 3 months or longer. Kung pao sauce is easy to freeze.

Notes:

• Heat Factor. You can dial back the heat by using milder peppers. Up the heat factor by using hotter dried or fresh peppers, or including hot red pepper flakes or chili flakes to your preference.

Macros:

• Calories:  117 cal | Net Carbs: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g 

Source: chilipeppermadness.com